With the proliferation of high quality video, an increasing number of electronics devices (e.g., consumer electronics devices) utilize high definition (HD) video which can require more than 1 gigabit per second (Gbps) in bandwidth for transmission. As such, when transmitting such HD video between devices, conventional transmission approaches compress the HD video to a fraction of its size to lower the required transmission bandwidth. The compressed video is then decompressed for consumption. However, with each compression and subsequent decompression of the video data, some data can be lost and the picture quality can be reduced.
The High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) specification allows transfer of uncompressed HD signals between devices via a cable. While consumer electronics makers are beginning to offer HDMI-compatible equipment, there is not yet a suitable wireless (e.g., radio frequency) technology that is capable of transmitting uncompressed HD video signals. Wireless local area networks (WLANs) and similar technologies can suffer interference issues when several devices which do not have the bandwidth to carry the uncompressed HD signal, and do not provide an air interface to transmit uncompressed video over a 60 GHz band are connected.
The IEEE 802.15.3 standard specifies channel access methods for transmission of audio/visual information over WLANs. However, in the IEEE 802.15.3 standard, channel access control is complicated and is only for access to a single channel. In addition, in the IEEE 802.15.3 standard, channel time allocation description carried in a beacon is quite large because every allocated time block is described independently. There is, therefore, a need for a method and system for channel control in wireless communication networks which address the above shortcomings.